Liquid applicator and yarn convergence device



May 31, 1966 R. G. MINSHULL 3,253,437

LIQUID APPLICATOR AND YARN CONVERGENCE DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1965 AMUmMn INVENTOR R.G. MINSHULL FIG.4. BY 4% fi e AGENT United States Patent 3,253,437 LIQUm APPLICATOR AND YARN CONVERGENCE DEVICE Robert G. Minshull, Greenwood, S.C., assignor to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 315,771 4 Claims. (Cl. 68-200) This invention relates to a liquid applicator and yarn convergence device adapted to apply a metered amount of a liquid agent uniformly to a group of filaments delivered thereto while simultaneously converging the filaments into a yarn bundle.

In textile yarn processing it is common to treat filaments with finishes and treating agents such as waxes, resins, dyes, etc., in the form of emulsions, solutions, and dispersions. Where a fluid agent is metered to a running group of filaments it is desirable that the liquid agent be applied to and be taken up by the filaments by an amount substantially proportional to the metered amount to effect a uniform application of the agent thereto.

It is an object of this invention to provide a liquid agent applicator and yarn convergence device constructed to apply a metered amount of liquid to a moving group of filaments while simultaneously converging the filaments into a yarn bundle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid applicator and yarn convergence device provided with rneans for controlling the application of substantially all of a metered amount of fluid to the yarn.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid applicator and yarn convergence device of unitary and simple design.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

According to the invention, the liquid applicator and yarn convergence device embodying the invention comprises a block body adapted to be placed in the path of a group of vertically moving filaments. The block is provided with a slot to permit lacing the filaments so that they pass vertically through a reservoir and an aligned convergence port or aperture defined in the block. The convergence port includes an inner annulus at the bottom of the reservoir and an exit or outer annulus opening to the exterior of the block. The reservoir is normally supplied with a metered amount of treating liquid agent from a source thereof through passage means defined in the block and the treating liquid flows to the inner port annulus at the bottom of the reservoir. The group of fila- Inents pass through the reservoir and are converged into a yarn bundle by contacting the surf-ace defining the inner port annulus. Since the area surrounding the inner port annulus is constantly supplied with treating liquid, the liquid is applied to the filaments simultaneously with the convergence of the filaments into a yarn bundle. To assure the application of a full amount of treating fluid or liquid to the filaments in a proportion substantially equivalent to the proportion being metered to the reservoir, the exit port annulus is surrounded by a contiguous flared surface to prevent fluid from escaping or draining off and to control the flow of the fluid onto the converged bundle of filaments before the latter exit from the block. The liquid agent applicator and yarn convergence device is simple and unitary in construction and yields a uniformly treated yarn bundle. In operation, substantially no wastage of treating fluid is encountered.

A better understanding of the invention will be gained by reference to the more detailed description which follows and to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective-view showing the liquid applicator and yarn convergence device embodying the invention;

3,253,437 Patented May 31, I966 FIGURE 2 is a cross-section view taken through 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the device shown in FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section view taken through 44 of FIGURE 1 showing the liquid applicator and yarn convergence device embodying the invention associated with operative apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, FIGURES 1-4, the liquid applicator and yarn convergence device 1 embodying the invention for treating and converging filaments 2 comprises a block 3 provided with a bracket 4 having threaded holes 5 for securement t0 and association with such as a quenching or conditioning apparatus used in textile yarn spinning (FIGURE 4).

A substantially vertical bore 6 open at its upper end for receiving the group of nylon filaments 2, for example, freshly spun from a conventional spinneret 7, and closed at its lower end is defined within block 3. The closed end of bore 6, preferably, tapers downwardly toward the center or axis of the bore forming a reservoir with a recessed tapered bottom or floor.

A port or aperture 8 of a smaller diameter than and axially aligned with bore 6 is defined in block 3 and provides a through passage from bore 6 to the exterior of block 3. Port 8 has an inner annulus open to bore 6 and an outer or exit annulus that opens exteriorly of block 3. Preferably, the inner port annulus is joined to the tapered bottom surface of bore 6 by a smooth, rounded surface.

A flared border surface 9 in block 3 surrounds and is contiguously joined with the outer port annulus. The flared surface 9 extends upwardly from the outer port annulus toward the upper end of bore 6 and radially outwardiy therefrom. Preferably the flared surface 9 is conical and forms an angle of less than 90 with the vertical axis of the port 8.

A longitudinal slot 10 for lacing the group of filaments 2 within device 1 extends inwardly of block 3 and opens into bore 6 and port 8. Slot 10 is also, preferably, narrow in width to prevent escape of fluid from bore 6 and port 8 but is of suflicient width to accommodate lacing the filaments 2 therein.

A passage 11, which is open at its inner end to bore 6 is defined in block 3 and a pipe stem 12 is secured to block 3 so as to open to the outer end of passage 11 for delivering a treating fluid to bore 6 when a source of metered treating fluid is connected to pipe stem 12.

According to an exemplary operation, the group of filaments 2 are spun from the spinneret 7 and pass downwardly through a quenching or air conditioning zone for cooling the filaments. The group of filaments are then laced to pass through bore 6 and port 8 of device 1 by inserting the filaments through slot 10.

The filaments when laced within device 1 pass axially through bore 6 and port 8 and are converged into a yarn bundle by contact with the rounded surface of the inner annulus of port 8. Preferably, the diameter of bore 6' is large enough that the filaments do not contact the wall surfaces thereof.

While the filaments are passing through device 1 a metered treating liquid is delivered to bore 6 through pipe stem 12 and passage 11 from a suitable source there of. The treating liquid flows down the walls defining bore 6 and flows to the inner annulus of port 8 and thus into contact with the converging filaments. Some of the treating liquid which is not applied to the filaments in the area of the inner annulus of port 8 flows to theouter annulus thereof. The flared border surface 9 surrounding the outer annulus of port 8 being tapered backwardly from the annulus toward the upper end of bore 8 prevents the liquid agent from flowing away from the yarn and being drained off and wasted. The flared border surface 9 also causes the treating liquid to concentrate about the outer annulus of port 8 and to be applied to the filaments 2 moving therepast. In this manner substantially all of the metered liquid agent is applied to the yarn and the liquid is applied uniformly.

The group of filaments 2 are converged and uniformly treated with a treating liquid with a minimum of frictional contact with device 1. The filament yarn bundle exiting from the block 3 is taken up on a driven bobbin or yarn carrier 13and traversingly displaced thereon by a conventional traverse device 14. In practice, device 1 may be pivotally mounted by conventional means where frequent adjustment is necessary to effect alignment of bore 6 of device 1 with filaments 2 delivered thereto.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efliciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A liquid applicator and filament yarn convergence device comprising,

(a) a block,

(b) a surface defining a substantially vertical bore in said block, said bore being open at its upper end for receiving a group of filaments and closed at its lower end thereof,

(c) a convergence aperture having an inner annulus open to said lower end of said substantially vertical bore and an outer annulus opening out of said block, the group of filaments normally passing from said substantially vertical bore through said convergence aperture for converging the filaments into a yarn "bundle,

(d) a flared surface joined to and surrounding said outer annulus of said convergence aperture, said flared surface extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the outer end of said aperture in the direction of said open end of said substantially vertical bore,

(e) a slot extending inwardly from the exterior of said block and opening into said substantially vertical bore and convergence aperture for lacing the group of filaments therein.

(f) inlet means in said block opening into said substantially vertical bore, said inlet means normally being connected to a source of liquid under pressure,

(g) wherein, said liquid flows to said convergence aperture and into contact with the filaments passing engagingly therethrough, and said flared surface controls application of the liquid to the yarn bundle exiting from said block.

2. A liquid applicator and yarn convergence device as in claim 1, wherein said surface defining said substantially vertical bore tapers downwardly at its closed lower end thereof to said inner annulus of said aperture and wherein said flared surface surrounding said outer annulus of said convergence aperture is conical.

3. A liquid applicator and yarn convergence device as in claim 2, wherein said inner annulus is joined to said surface defining said substantially vertical bore by a smooth, rounded surface.

4. A liquid applicator and filament yarn convergence device comprising,

(a) a block provided with securement means,

(b) a surface defining a substantially vertical bore in said block Open at its upper end for receiving filaments and closed at its lower end by said surface tapering downwardly and centrally of said substantially vertical bore.

(0) a convergence aperture defined in said block and axially aligned with said substantially vertical bore, said convergence aperture having an inner annulus open to said substantially vertical bore centrally of said lower end thereof and joined to said surface defining said bore by a smooth, rounded surface for engagingly contacting and converging filaments into a yarn bundle, and an outer annulus opening exteriorly of said block, 4

(d) a contiguous conical surface joined to said outer annulus of said convergence aperture forming an acute angle with the outer annulus of said convergence aperture,

(e) a substantially vertical slot extending inwardly from the exterior of said block and opening into said substantially vertical bore and said convergence aperture, said substantially vertical slot being defined in said block by a pair of opposite spaced walls each tapering inwardly from the exterior of said block to permit lacing said group of filaments within said substantially vertical bore and said convergence aperture.

(f) a passage in said block opening into said bore,

(g) a conduit connected to said block and communicating with said passage, said conduit being adapted to be connected to a source of liquid under pressure for flowing the liquid to said bore,

(h) whereby, the liquid flows to said inner annulus of said convergence port and into contact with'the filaments passing contactingly therethrough and said contiguous conical surface controls application of the liquid onto the yarn bundle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,151,487 8/1915 Loewe l56l67 X 2,351,110 6/1944 Davidson et al 68147 2,460,206 1/ 1949 Wentz 68-15 X 2,460,390 2/ 1949 McDermott 1l8405 X 2,744,563 5/ 1956 Menuerich.

FOREIGN PATENTS 375,632 5/1923 Germany. 522,383 4/ 1931 Germany.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LIQUID APPLICATOR AND FILAMENT YARN CONVERGENCE DEVICE COMPRISING, (A) A BLOCK, (B) A SURFACE DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL BORE IN SAID BLOCK, SAID BORE BEING OPEN AT ITS UPPER END FOR RECEIVING A GROUP OF FILAMENTS AND CLOSED AT ITS LOWER END THEREOF, (C) A CONVERGENCE APERTURE HAVING AN INNER ANNULUS OPEN TO SAID LOWER END OF SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL BORE AND AN OUTER ANNULUS OPENBING OUT OF SAID BLOCK, THE GROUP OF FILAMENTS NORMALLY PASSING FROM SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL BORE THROUGH SAID CONVERGENCE APERTURE FOR CONVERGING THE FILAMENTS INTO A YARN BUNDLE, (D) A FLARED SURFACE JOINED TO AND SURROUNDING SAID OUTER ANNULUS OF SAID CONVERGENCE APERTURE, SAID FLARED SURFACE EXTENDING UPWATDLY AND RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE OUTER END OF SAID APERTURE IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID OPEN END OF SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL BORE, (E) A SLOT EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BLOCK AND OPENING INTO SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL BORE AND CONVERGENCE APERTURE FOR LACING THE GROUP OF FILAMENTS THEREIN. 